May 16, 2013 6:16 PM

There is a fine row of tall trees by the side of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Old Roan. I can't get close to them because they are on the "wrong" side.

The bark seems smooth and greyish. They don't hold onto their dead leaves in the winter (so they aren't ordinary beech). Last week I was amazed to see the fresh leaves coming out bronzy-pink. In binoculars I could see that the leaves were the simple type, like beech, elm, poplar etc.

Here are two pictures, one when they were bare on 14th April and one showing the pinkish new leaves on 7th May.

Thanks to you both. Some sort of poplar, it seems. I didn't notice a sweet scent, but the colour of the spring leaves and the tallness might fit for balsam poplar. I will be passing there again on Sunday, and I'll have a good sniff !